A Wrinkle in Time: 6 Important Steps for Your Anti-Aging Skin Care Routine

The Ultimate Guide To Anti-Aging Skin Care
The Ultimate Guide To Anti-Aging Skin Care

A lot of people ask me which products they should use for anti-aging. Of course, the answer is fairly long and complex and depends upon multiple variables like age, specific concerns, and desired results. There are so many skincare options that fall under the "anti-aging" umbrella that it can seem overwhelming. To simplify the subject, I developed this overview enlisting the help of my friend, dermatologist Jennifer Toyohara, M.D. In it I cover the major types of anti-aging products, highlight key ingredients to look for, and offer product recommendations for each category. Click through the slideshow to learn more about anti-aging skin care including best options for prevention, hydration, exfoliation, lightening, and repair.

1. Prevention

Preventative skin care is the one anti-aging step that all adults should be practicing every day. Start these products in your 20s to help keep skin youthful and continue to use them to protect against further damage. When it comes to warding off aging, there is no better weapon than high SPF sunscreens. Antioxidants also fight against the ill effects of the sun, as well as other stressors.

2. Hydration

Skin becomes drier as we age and it's increasingly important to keep skin moisturized. I love humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin because they visibly plump skin and fill in fine lines. However, unless it is very humid out, you also need emollients and/or occlusive agents such as shea butter, petroleum, and silicones to trap moisture in and keep it from evaporating. Natural lipids called ceramides are popular moisturizing ingredients in anti-aging skin care because they become depleted with age.

3. Exfoliation

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As we age, dead skin cells don't shed as quickly as they once did. The result is a dull, blotchy complexion. Exfoliating helps speed cellular turnover to reveal fresh, younger-looking skin. Exfoliation should be incorporated into an anti-aging routine by the time you are in your 30s. Sloughing off dead skin cells can be accomplished chemically or manually and formulas range in strength from very mild for sensitive skin to intense peels for more dramatic results.

4. Lightening

After years of sun exposure, aging skin is prone to develop some darker areas, referred to as age spots. The sun isn't the only culprit; hyperpigmentation or overproduction of pigment, can occur due to hormonal shifts during pregnancy or after and acne breakout. Lightening and brightening skin care products claim to lighten these darken spots for a more even skin tone and can be used whenever dark spots form.

5. Repair

Repairing damage that has already been done to skin is much harder than preventing damage. When it comes to wrinkle repair, prescription-only retinoids and over-the-counter retinols are still the pick of most dermatologists. However, other ingredients are gaining more and more loyal followers. There are so many ingredients that claim to turn back time. The following are the tried and true and, in my humble opinion, are your best bests. You should be using rejuvenating products that repair fine lines and wrinkles, stimulate collagen and elastic production, and encourage cellular turnover by your late 30s/early40s.

6. Lifestyle

Of course, selecting the right skin care is only one piece of the anti-aging puzzle. For optimal results, don't forget to eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water, don't smoke, and get enough sleep. (Just don't sleep on your face. Dr. Toyohara warns that people who favor sleeping on one side have more wrinkles on that side.) My last, very unofficial piece of advice: have fun. Whether its in my mind or not, I'd swear that the young at heart don't just act younger; they look younger too!

- By Sonya Lee Benham
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